Jammu: A government employee was killed and four others injured in a powerful blast in the compound of a police station in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

During disposal of old blasting material by the Public Works Department (PWD) officials, a powerful explosion took place inside the compound of Bani police station near an under-construction building Monday morning, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jammu-Samba-Kathua range J P Singh said.

The blast occurred when they were taking the explosive material out of the police station for its use in construction works. In the explosion PWD Supervisor Mohmmad Iqbal was killed, the DIG said, adding that four persons, mostly labourers, were injured.

The four wounded have been admitted to hospital. The powerful blast also caused damage to the police station and the vehicles parked in the compound, besides breaking window panes of several nearby residential houses in Bani town triggering panic in the area, officials said.

Police and CRPF cordoned off the area and were conducting investigations into the matter. The PWD had reportedly dumped the blasting material used in the construction of roads and bridges in the store of the police station for security reasons some time back.